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Gukesh and Ding Liren Draw in Calm Game 9 of the FIDE World Championship

Posted : 06 December 2024

In a calm and uneventful match following the previous intense encounters, the game between Gukesh and Ding Liren saw a smooth flow of play. After a ceremonial move by Dr. Shilpak Ambule, the High Commissioner of India to Singapore, Gukesh opened the game with 1.d4. Ding Liren, playing Black, opted for the Bogo-Indian Defence, which quickly transposed into a Catalan Opening, a familiar choice for both players.

 

The first notable moment came when Gukesh played 10.Bc3, an uncommon move in this position, which surprised Ding Liren. After a long period of contemplation, Ding responded with the more standard move 10...Bb7. Gukesh continued to push his queenside expansion with 13.b4 and later used the pin 16.Ba5 to further pressurize Ding’s position. Meanwhile, Ding seemed to struggle with his moves, spending significant time on decisions.

 

On move 17, Ding missed a key opportunity to equalize by playing 17...Nxc4, a line suggested by the engines. Instead, Ding opted for 17...Bxf3, accepting a slightly worse middlegame. By move 20, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage, holding over an hour while Ding had only about thirty minutes left on his clock. Gukesh reflected on the game, noting that his 20.Qb5 move might have been premature and that he could have opted for 20.Ne5 to maintain a small edge.

 

As the game progressed, Ding Liren played accurately, neutralizing Gukesh’s initiative and simplifying the position to an equal ending. In the post-game press conference, Gukesh acknowledged both players’ missed opportunities and emphasized that there were still five exciting games ahead in the match. He also expressed his intention to continue playing well and hoped for favorable results in the coming rounds.

 

The match ended in a draw, with the score tied at 4.5-4.5. In parallel with the championship, the local organizers and FIDE held a series of side events, including a lecture by FIDE Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili and a Chess History Trivia Quiz by FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky. Additionally, the Singapore International Open concluded with GM Lu Shanglei winning the tournament, followed by GM Szymon Gumularz in second and local GM Jagadeesh Siddharth securing third.

 

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